Surviving Grief

Surviving Grief

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend.” --Charles Caleb Colton.

What a great saying that gets to the heart of what grievers really need—a good, true friend that provides needed empathy in an unconditional way. Grief has a way of sorting out those who remain “true friends” vs. those who just disappear.

Ask yourself, did your relationship with friends change because of your profound grief was not comfortable for them or was it something more? If you have not figured it out yet, not everybody who was your good friend before your loss will continue to be a good friend after your loss. Did your friends change or did you change? As part of the grieving process, our personal wants and needs change. Sometimes our old friends are no longer capable of meeting our new wants and needs. Be patient with them. They want to help, but simply don’t know how.